Arab-Islamic summit adopts resolution on Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people

Arab-Islamic summit adopts resolution on Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people
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Updated 12 November 2023
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Arab-Islamic summit adopts resolution on Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people

Arab-Islamic summit adopts resolution on Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people

RIYADH: The Joint Arab Islamic Extraordinary Summit, which concluded in Riyadh on Saturday, adopted the following resolution:

 We, the leaders of the states and governments of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the League of Arab States, have decided to merge the two summits that the OIC and the Arab League had decided to hold. This came in response to the kind invitations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the chair of the two summits) and the State of Palestine. We express our joint stance in condemning the brutal Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank, including Al-Quds Al-Sharif. We affirm addressing together this aggression and the humanitarian catastrophe that it causes. We seek to stop and end all Israeli illegal practices that perpetuate the occupation and deprive the Palestinian people of their rights, especially their right to freedom and to have an independent sovereign State on all their national territory.
 We express our thanks to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, King of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for their kind hospitality.
 We reaffirm all resolutions of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League regarding the Palestinian cause and all occupied Arab territories.
 We recall all resolutions of the United Nations and other international organizations regarding the Palestinian cause, the crimes of the Israeli occupation and the right of the Palestinian people to freedom and independence in all its territories, which have been occupied since 1967 and constitute a sole geographical unit.
 We welcome the UN General Assembly Resolution A/ES-10/L.25 adopted by the tenth emergency session on 26 October 2023.
 We affirm the centrality of the Palestinian cause and our standing with all our powers and capabilities by the brotherly Palestinian people in their legitimate struggle to liberate all their occupied territories and to meet all their inalienable rights. This particularly includes their right to self-determination and to live in their independent and sovereign state on the borders of June 4th, 1967 with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.
 We reaffirm that a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, which is a strategic option, is the only way to establish security and stability for all peoples of the region and protect them from cycles of violence and wars. This, we stress, will not be achieved without ending the Israeli occupation and resolving the Palestinian cause on the basis of the two-state solution.
 We affirm that it is impossible to achieve regional peace while overlooking the Palestinian cause or attempting to ignore the rights of the Palestinian people. We stress that the Arab Peace Initiative, backed by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, is an essential reference to this end.
 We hold Israel, the occupying force, responsible for the continuation and aggravation of the conflict, which is the result of its violation of the rights of the Palestinian people, and of the Islamic and Christian sanctities. This is also the result of its systematic aggressive policies and practices, its illegal unilateral steps that perpetuate the occupation, violate international law, and prevent the realization of a just and comprehensive peace.
 We affirm that Israel, and all countries of the region, will not enjoy security and peace unless the Palestinians enjoy theirs and regain all their stolen rights. We stress that the continuation of the Israeli occupation is a threat to the security and stability of the region and to international security and peace.
 We condemn all forms of hatred and discrimination, and all acts that perpetuate hatred and extremism.
 We warn of the disastrous repercussions of the retaliatory aggression by Israel against the Gaza Strip, which amounts to a war crime, and the barbaric crimes committed also in the West Bank and Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
 We warn of the real danger of the expansion of the war as a result of Israel’s refusal to stop its aggression and of the inability of the Security Council to enforce international law to end this aggression.

 

We decide to:
 Condemn the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and the war crimes as well as the barbaric, inhumane and brutal massacres being committed by the colonial occupation government against the strip and the Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank, including East Al-Quds. We demand ceasing this aggression immediately.
 Reject describing this retaliatory war as self-defense or justifying it under any pretext.
 Break the siege on Gaza and impose the immediate entry of Arab, Islamic and international humanitarian aid convoys, including food, medicine and fuel into the Gaza Strip. We call on international organizations to participate in this process, stressing the need for their entry to the strip and for protecting their teams to enable them to fully fulfill their role. We affirm the necessity of supporting the United Nations Relief and Works for Palestine Refugees Agency (UNRWA).
 Support all steps taken by the Arab Republic of Egypt to confront the consequences of the brutal Israeli aggression on Gaza. We support its efforts to bring aid into the strip in an immediate, sustainable and adequate manner.
 Call on the UN Security Council to take a decisive and binding decision that imposes a cessation of aggression and curbs the colonial occupation authority that violates international law, international humanitarian law, and international legitimacy resolutions, the latest of which is United Nations General Assembly Resolution No. A/ES-10/L.25 dated 26/10/2023. Inaction is considered a complicity that allows Israel to continue its brutal aggression that kills innocent people, children, the elderly, and women, and turns Gaza into ruin.
 Call on all countries to stop exporting weapons and ammunition to the occupation authorities that are used by their army and terrorist settlers to kill the Palestinian people and destroy their homes, hospitals, schools, mosques, churches and all their capabilities.
 Call on the Security Council to promptly pass a resolution condemning Israel’s barbaric destruction of hospitals in the Gaza Strip, the obstruction of medicine, food and fuel and the severing of crucial services like electricity, water, communication and internet access. These acts of collective punishment amount to war crimes under international law. We emphasize the need to impose this resolution on Israel, the occupying power, to ensure compliance with international laws and to immediately cease these barbaric and inhumane measures. We stress the necessity of lifting the blockade that Israel has imposed on the Gaza Strip for years.
 Call on the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to complete the investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by Israel against the Palestinian people in all the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Al-Quds. We assign the General Secretariats of the OIC and the Arab League to follow up on the implementation of this investigation and establish two specialized legal monitoring units to document Israeli crimes committed in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. The units will then prepare legal proceedings on all violations of international law and international humanitarian law committed by Israel, the occupying power, against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Al-Quds. Each unit shall submit its report 15 days after its formation to be presented to the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers and to the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC. Subsequently, monthly reports should be submitted thereafter.
 Support legal and political initiatives for the State of Palestine to hold Israeli occupying authorities accountable for their crimes against the Palestinian people, including the advisory opinion process at the International Court of Justice, and allow the investigative committee established by the Human Rights Council resolution to investigate these crimes without obstruction.
 Assign the two secretariats of to establish two media monitoring units to document all the crimes committed by the occupying authorities against the Palestinian people, alongside digital media platforms to publish and expose their illegitimate and inhumane practices.
 Assign the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as the presidency of the 32nd Arab and Islamic Summit, along with counterparts from Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Türkiye, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Palestine, and any other interested countries, and the Secretary-General of both organisations to initiate immediate international action on behalf of all member states of the OIC and the Arab League to formulate an international move to halt the war in Gaza and to pressure for a real and serious political process to achieve permanent and comprehensive peace in accordance with established international references.
 Call upon member states of the OIC and the Arab League to exert diplomatic, political, and legal pressures, and take any deterrent actions to halt the crimes committed by the colonial occupation authorities against humanity.
 Condemn the double standards in applying international law; warn that this duality seriously undermines both the credibility of countries shielding Israel from international law and placing it above the law, as well as the credibility of multilateral action, exposing the selectivity in applying the system of humanitarian values; and emphasize that the positions of Arab and Islamic countries will be affected by such double standards that lead to a rift between civilizations and cultures.
 Condemn the displacement of nearly one and a half million Palestinians from the northern to the southern areas of the Gaza Strip as a war crime under the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and its 1977 Protocol; call on the parties to the Convention to collectively denounce and reject this action; call on all United Nations organizations to confront the attempt of the colonial occupation authorities to perpetuate this miserable inhuman reality; and stress the immediate necessity for the return of these displaced individuals to their homes and regions.
 Fully and absolutely reject, along with collectively opposing, any attempts at individual or mass forced displacement, deportation, or exile of the Palestinian people whether within the Gaza Strip, the West Bank including Al-Quds (Jerusalem), or outside their territories to any destination, considering it a red line and a war crime.
 Condemn the killing and targeting of civilians, as a principled stance based on our humanitarian values and in line with international law and humanitarian principles, and emphasize the immediate and swift steps the international community must take to cease the killing and targeting of Palestinian civilians, in a way that confirms the absolute equivalence of every single life, rejecting any discrimination based on nationality, race, or religion.
 Emphasize the necessity of releasing all prisoners and civilians; condemn the heinous crimes committed by the colonial occupation authorities against thousands of Palestinian prisoners; and call on all concerned nations and international organizations to put pressure for the cessation of these crimes and the prosecution of those responsible.
 Stop the occupation forces’ killing crimes and the settlers’ terrorism and crimes in the Palestinian villages, cities and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank and all assaults on the Al Aqsa Mosque and all Islamic and Christian sanctities.
 Emphasize Israel's need to fulfil its obligations as the occupying power by ceasing all illegal actions that perpetuate the occupation, especially settlements' construction and expansion, land confiscation, and the forced displacement of Palestinians from their homes.
 Condemn the military operations launched by occupying forces against Palestinian cities and camps; denounce settler terrorism; and urge the international community to list these groups and organizations on global terrorism lists, so that the Palestinian people can enjoy all the rights afforded to other nations, including human rights, the right to security, self-determination, the realization of their state's independence on their land, and the provision of international protection for them.
 Condemn the Israeli assaults on Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites and the Israeli illegitimate measures which violate freedom of worship; emphasize the importance of respecting the existing legal and historic status quo in the holy sites; emphasize that the Al Aqsa Mosque/ Al Haram Al Sharif, with its entire 144,000 square meters, is a place of worship solely for Muslims, with the Jordanian Awqaf and the Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department being the exclusive sole legitimate authority responsible for managing, maintaining, and regulating access to Al Aqsa Mosque, within the framework of the historic Hashemite custodianship of Jerusalem’s Islamic and Christian holy sites; and support the roles of the Al-Quds Committee and its efforts in addressing the practices of the Israeli occupation authorities in the Holy City.
 Condemn the extremist and racist hate speech and actions by ministers within the Israeli occupying government, including one minister’s threat to use nuclear weapons against the Palestinian people in Gaza, and considering them a serious threat to international peace and security, necessitating support for the conference aimed at establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone and eliminating all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, conducted within the framework of the United Nations and its goals to address this threat.
 Condemn the killing of journalists, children, and women, the targeting of medics, and the use of internationally banned white phosphorus in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and Lebanon; denounce the repeated Israeli statements and threats to return Lebanon to the “Stone Age”; emphasize the importance of preventing the expansion of the conflict; and call on the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to investigate Israel’s use of chemical weapons.
 Emphasize on that the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and call on all Palestinian factions and parties to unite under its umbrella and shoulder their responsibilities under a PLO-led national partnership.
 Emphasize commitment to peace as a strategic choice, aiming to end Israeli occupation and resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict in accordance with international law and relevant legitimate decisions, including UN Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 497 (1981), 1515 (2003), and 2334 (2016); emphasizing adherence to the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 in its entirety and priorities as the unified Arab consensus and the foundation for any peace revitalization efforts in the Middle East. The precondition for peace with Israel and the establishment of normal relations rests on ending its occupation of all Palestinian and Arab territories. It also includes establishing an independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967, borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, restoring the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination, return, and compensation for Palestinian refugees, resolving their issue justly per UN General Assembly Resolution 194 of 1948.
 Emphasize the immediate need for the international community to launch a serious peace process to establish a two-state solution that fulfils all legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, notably their right to realize an independent, sovereign state along the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital to in security and peace alongside Israel, aligning with international legitimacy and the complete framework of the Arab Peace Initiative.
 Emphasize that the failure to resolve the Palestinian cause over more than 75 years, the lack of response to the Israeli colonial occupation's crimes, its deliberate policies undermining the two-state solution through settlement building and expansion, alongside unconditional support to Israel and shielding it from accountability, as well as disregarding continual warnings about the dangers of ignoring these crimes and their serious implications on international security and peace, has led to a severe deterioration of the situation.
 Reject any proposals that perpetuate the separation of Gaza from the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and emphasize that any future approach to Gaza must be within the framework of working towards a comprehensive solution ensuring the unity of Gaza and the West Bank as part of the Palestinian state, which must materialize as a free, independent, sovereign entity with its capital in East Jerusalem on the borders of June 4, 1967.
 Call for convening an international peace conference, as soon as possible, through which a credible peace process will be launched based on international law, legitimate resolutions, and the principle of land for peace, within a defined timeframe and international guarantees, ultimately leading to the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, including East Jerusalem, the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, the Shebaa Farms, the Kfar Shuba Hills, and the outskirts of the Lebanese village of al-Mari, and the implementation of a two-state solution.
 Activate the Arab and Islamic Financial Safety Net in line with the decisions of the fourteenth session of the Islamic Summit Conference and the Arab Summit resolutions, to provide financial contributions and support — economic, financial, and humanitarian — to the government of the State of Palestine and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Emphasize the necessity of mobilizing international partners to reconstruct Gaza and alleviate the comprehensive destruction caused by the Israeli aggression immediately upon cessation.
 Assign both the Secretary-General of the Arab League and the OIC to closely oversee the implementation of the resolution and present a report on it at the upcoming sessions of their respective councils.


UK suspends electronics visas for Jordanians over ‘violations’

UK suspends electronics visas for Jordanians over ‘violations’
Updated 4 sec ago
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UK suspends electronics visas for Jordanians over ‘violations’

UK suspends electronics visas for Jordanians over ‘violations’

AMMAN: The British Embassy in Amman has notified the Jordanian foreign ministry that it was suspending the visa-exempt status for Jordanian nationals wishing to travel to the UK, state news agency Petra reported.
The Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) facilitates the granting visas to visitors including Jordanians was being suspended due to ‘continued violations’ by Jordanian visitors to the UK, according to a statement.
The ETA was first launched on Nov. 15, 2023, for nationals of Qatar, before being expanded in February 2024 to include nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan), Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Ministry spokesperson Sufian Qudah said there has been “continued misuse” despite efforts by Jordanian Embassy officials in London to explore solutions with British authorities to the violations of Jordanian travelers of British residency and immigration laws.
The British decision is subject to amendment in the future and discussions are ongoing with the British to re-enact the ETA under conditions that would address violations, Qudah added.
The UK Home Office said the change was being made because the number of asylum claims from Jordanians increased from 17 in Oct. 2023 to 261 in June 2024.


Iran threatens ‘action’ over new Western sanctions

Iran threatens ‘action’ over new Western sanctions
Updated 7 min 14 sec ago
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Iran threatens ‘action’ over new Western sanctions

Iran threatens ‘action’ over new Western sanctions
  • Iran again denied it had delivered any weapons to Russia for use in the Ukraine war

TEHRAN: Iran has vowed to respond to fresh sanctions imposed by Britain, France and Germany over what they said was its supply of short-range missiles to Russia for use in Ukraine.
“This action of the three European countries is the continuation of the hostile policy of the West and economic terrorism against the people of Iran, which will face the appropriate and proportionate action of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement late Tuesday.
The three governments had announced they would take steps to cancel air services agreements with Iran and “work toward imposing sanctions on Iran Air.”
“In addition, we will pursue the designations of significant entities and individuals involved with Iran’s ballistic missile program and the transfer of ballistic missiles and other weapons to Russia,” they added.
Iran again denied it had delivered any weapons to Russia for use in the Ukraine war.
“Any claim that the Islamic Republic of Iran has sold ballistic missiles to the Russian Federation is completely baseless and false,” Kanani said.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia had received shipments of ballistic missiles from Iran and “will likely use them within weeks in Ukraine.”
He added that dozens of Russian military personnel have received training in Iran on using the Fath-360 missile, which has a range of 120 kilometers (75 miles).


Iran’s president visits Iraq on first foreign trip

Iran’s president visits Iraq on first foreign trip
Updated 11 September 2024
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Iran’s president visits Iraq on first foreign trip

Iran’s president visits Iraq on first foreign trip
  • Tehran has been steadily increasing its sway in Iraq since a US-led invasion toppled its enemy Saddam Hussein in 2003

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday, making an official visit to Iraq, a strategic ally of both Tehran and Washington, Iran’s state media said.
Iraq hosts several Iran-aligned parties and armed groups, as Tehran has steadily increased its sway in the major oil producer since a US-led invasion toppled its enemy Saddam Hussein in 2003.
A rare partner of both the United States and Iran, Iraq hosts 2,500 US troops and has Iran-backed militias linked to its security forces. It has suffered escalating tit-for-tat attacks since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in Gaza in October.
“We are planning to sign several agreements,” Iran’s state media quoted Pezeshkian, a relative moderate, as saying ahead of the visit, his first official foreign trip. “We will meet senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad.”
The United States and Iraq have reached an understanding on plans for the withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Iraq, say sources familiar with the matter.
Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq have repeatedly attacked US troops in the Middle East since the Gaza war began.
State media have said Pezeshkian also plans to visit Iraqi Kurdistan, a region where Iran has carried out strikes in the past, saying it is used as a staging ground for Iranian separatist groups as well as agents of its arch-foe Israel.
Baghdad has tried to tackle Iranian concerns over regional separatist groups, moving to relocate some members in a 2023 security pact with Tehran.
“We have several co-operation areas, including political, regional ... and security issues,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said ahead of the president’s trip, according to state media.


Palestine takes up seat among UN member states in ‘historic moment’ at General Assembly opening session

Palestine takes up seat among UN member states in ‘historic moment’ at General Assembly opening session
Updated 11 September 2024
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Palestine takes up seat among UN member states in ‘historic moment’ at General Assembly opening session

Palestine takes up seat among UN member states in ‘historic moment’ at General Assembly opening session
  • UN resolution passed in May recognized Palestine met requirements for membership
  • Palestine was granted additional rights at UN, including being seated with member states

NEW YORK CITY: Palestine took up its seat among UN members at the opening session of the organization’s General Assembly on Tuesday.

A UN resolution was passed in May that recognized Palestine met requirements for membership, and requested the Security Council reconsider admitting the state.

Palestine was granted additional rights at the UN, including being seated with member states, the right to introduce proposals and agenda items, and participate in committees, but it has not been granted the right to vote.

Tuesday’s symbolic event met with support from the Egyptian delegation, which tabled a point of order to point out the “historic moment,” but it was opposed by the Israelis, who raised a counter point of order.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the 79th session was opening amid the backdrop of a “world in trouble,” but stressed that member states could work together to do something about it.

He said: “From day one, the United Nations has been the place for multilateral solutions, grounded in collaboration, dialog, diplomacy and the United Nations Charter.

“And it has been the place where respect for one another, and for the dignity and human rights that belong to every member of the human family, are brought to life. As we welcome this 79th session, these tasks now fall to you.

“This is the place where solutions are made and we need solutions across the board.”

Delegates of member states line up to greet Riyad Mansour, top right, Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, as he arrives for the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. (AP)

He addressed a range of topics, including economic progress, climate change and artificial intelligence.

He added: “Step by step, solution by solution, we can rebuild trust and faith in one another, and in what we can accomplish through collaboration and solidarity.

“The values that have brought us together since 1945 are more essential than ever. In confronting the challenges before us, (the UN General Assembly) remains an indispensable tool and a vital pathway toward a peaceful and just future for all people.”

The session was presided over by Philemon Yang of Cameroon, who was elected president of the General Assembly earlier this year.

Yang outlined the topics he expected to dominate discussions at this year’s assembly, including working toward peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, global health and human rights.

This year’s General Debate, which will run from Sept. 24 to 30, boasts the theme “Leaving no one behind: Acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations.”

As well as the debate, there will be a Summit of the Future, which will aim to secure a negotiated “Pact for the Future” designed to boost global cooperation to tackle current challenges effectively for future generations.

There will also be high-level meetings on topics as wide-ranging as the elimination of nuclear weapons; addressing the threat posed by rising sea levels; and strengthening global health systems against antimicrobial resistance.


Palestinian medics say five killed in Israeli strikes on West Bank

Palestinian medics say five killed in Israeli strikes on West Bank
Updated 11 September 2024
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Palestinian medics say five killed in Israeli strikes on West Bank

Palestinian medics say five killed in Israeli strikes on West Bank
  • The five people were killed “as a result of Israeli air strikes (on) a group of citizens in Tubas”
  • The drone fire occurred near a mosque in the Tubas region around dawn

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said Israeli strikes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday killed five Palestinians, while the Israeli military said it hit a “terrorist cell.”
The five people were killed “as a result of Israeli air strikes (on) a group of citizens in Tubas,” Palestinian Red Crescent spokesman Ahmed Jibril told AFP, adding that the dead were “transferred to the Turkish government hospital in Tubas.”
According to the Red Crescent, the drone fire occurred near a mosque in the Tubas region around dawn.
The Israeli military said on Wednesday that its forces were “currently conducting counterterrorism activity in the area of Tubas and Tamun” and that one of its aircraft “struck an armed terrorist cell” during an operation in Tubas in the northern West Bank. It did not provide any toll.
An eyewitness told AFP that Israeli forces were “storming the city of Tubas and the town of Tammun to the east.”
At the end of August, Israel launched a large-scale offensive across the northern West Bank, including the Tubas area, fighting Palestinian militants and leaving widespread destruction.
Last week, Palestinian medics said an Israeli air strike on a car in Tubas killed five people.
The Israeli army said at the time it had conducted “three targeted strikes on armed terrorists” and that the dead included Muhammad Zakaria Zubeidi, “a significant terrorist from the Jenin area,” also in the northern West Bank.
Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967 and has ramped up deadly raids in the territory since Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel sparked the war in Gaza.
According to the Palestinian health ministry, at least 698 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by the Israeli military and settlers since October 7.
At least 23 Israelis, including security forces, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the territory during the same period, according to Israeli officials.